Xerographic apparatus



Sept. 13, 1966. 1'. c. MURRAY ETAL xaaoomrmc Arrm'rus 18 Sheets-Shoot 1Filed March 3. 1964 nun n mm u mMU R T O Q VT A g RUSSE p 1966 11c.MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS l8 Shee ts-Sheet 3 Filed March 5, 1964 INVENTORSNORBET T H. KAUPP Y THOMAS C. MURRAY RUSSE L ROBERTS ATSORNEY p 13, 1966T. c. MURRAY ETAL XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS 18 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 5,1964 INVENTORS NORBETT H. KAUPP Y THOMAS C MURRAY RUSSE L ROBER S M W l51- OQQ ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1966 T. c. MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS l8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 3, 1964 FIG. 4

INVENTORS NORBETT H. KAUPP B THOMAS C. MURRAY USSE y OBERTS 13, 1966 'r.c. MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHI C APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1964 18 Sheets-Sheet INVENTORSNORBETT H. KAUPP Y THOMAS c. MURRAY RUSS L. ROBERTS Mr c v ATTORNEY P 3,1966 T. c. MURRAY ETAL 3,

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1964 18 She Sh t e-s ee 6 INVENTORSNORBETT H, KAUPP THOMAS c. MURRAY Russily/ BERTs T ORNE Y P 1966 T. c.MURRAY ETAL. 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1964 18 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORSNORBETT H. KAUPP THOMAS C. MURRAY RUSSE L ROBERTS P 13, 1966 "r. c.MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 18 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed March 5. 1964 FIG. 11

INVENTORS NORBETT H. KAUPP THOMAS c MURRA; RUSSELL R. ROBERT J6 g omvarp 13, 1966 T. c. MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed March 3, 1964 18 Sheets-$heet 10 FIGJZINVENTORS NORBETT H. KAUPP BY THOMAS c. MURRAY RUSSEL R ROBERTS 5 aAfro/mar p 13, 1966 T. c. MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS l8 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed March 5, 1964 Se t. 13,1966 MURRAY ETAL. 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS l8 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed March 5, 1964 I NV ENTORSNORBET T H. KAUP ROBERTS T ORNEY Y THOMASC MU RUSSEL 5 Q p 13, 1966 T.c. MURRAY ETAL 3,

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed March 5. 1964 18 Sheets Sh t l INVENTORSRBETT H. A OMAS C.

FIG. 15

Se t. 13, 1966 1-. c. MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS l8 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed March 5, 1964 SOL-4 IOLSl/LS

IZLS

FIG. 16'

IN VENTO S p 1965 T. c. MURRAY ETAL 3,

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS l8 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed March 3, 1964 w- 1956 T.c. MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS l8 Shee ts-Sheet 16 Filed March 5. 1964 T. c.MURRAY ETAL 3,272,101

Sept. 13, 1966 XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS 18 $heets-$heet 17 Filed March 5,1964 REST POSITION RELEASE POSITION INVENTORS NORBETT H. KAUP THOMAS C.MURRAY @y RUSSELL R ROBERTS Z Q M -1 AT OR/VEV United States Patent3,272,101 XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS Thomas C. Murray, Rochester, Russell R.Roberts, On-

tario, and Norbett H. Kaupp, Newark, N.Y., assignors to XeroxCorporation, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 3,1964, Ser. No. 348,950 3 Claims. (Cl. 95-1.7)

This invention relates to xerographic cameras and, particularly, to animproved camera equipped with automatic charging, exposing anddeveloping means.

In the process of xerography, for example, as disclosed in CarlsonPatent 2,297,691, issued October 6, 1942, a xerographic plate comprisinga layer of photoconductive insulating material on a conductive backingis given a uniform electric charge over its surface and is then exposedto the subject matter to be reproduced, usually by conventionalprojection techniques. This exposure discharges the plate areas inaccordance with the radiation intensity that reaches them, and therebycreates an elecrostatic latent image on or in the photoconductive layer.Development of the latent image is effected with an electrostaticallycharged, finely divided developing material or toner which is broughtinto surface contact with the photoconductive layer and is held thereonelectrostatically in a pattern corresponding to the electrostatic latentimage. Thereafter, the developed xerographic powder image is usuallytransferred to a support surface such as paper to which it may be fixedby any suitable means.

One of the methods in common use for developing the electrostatic latentimage is described in Walkup Patent 2,618,551 and is known as cascadedevelopment. In this technique, the powder or toner is mixed with a gramular carrier material, and this two-component developer is poured orcascaded over the plate surface. The function of the carrier material isto improve the flow characteristics of the powder and to produce, on thepowder, by triboelectrification, the proper electrical charge to thatthe powder will be attracted to the image. More exactly, the function ofthe carrier material is to provide the mechanical control to the powder,or to carry the powder to an image surface and simultaneously, toprovide homogeneity of charge polarity.

The primary object of this invention is to improve xerography cameras topermit automatic charging, e'xposing and developing of xerographicplates.

A further object of this invention is to improve xerographic apparatusto permit the automatic, simultaneous exposure and development ofxerographic plates in an apparatus which sequentially charges, exposesand develops such xerographic plates.

A further object of this invention is to improve xerographic apparatusto include a transporting means within the device for moving xerographicplates inserted therein sequentially to an exposure station anddevelopment station.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects andfurther features thereof, reference is had to the following detaileddescription of the invention to be read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a right-hand perspective view of a xerographic cameraembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a right-hand side view of the xerographic camera shown in FIG.1 with the side panels removed and portions broken away to show theinternal struc* ture of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a right-hand perspective view of th xerographic camera shownin FIG. 1 with the cover panels removed and portions broken away to showthe internal structure of the lens system;

FIG. 4 is a front detail view of a xerographic plate transport system;

FIG. 5 is a left side detail view of the plate transport system shown inFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rightside detail view of the plate transport system shown inFIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the plate transport system taken alonglines 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the plate transport system taken alonglines 88 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a rear detail view of the copyboard;

FIG. 10 is a left side view of the copyboard shown in FIG. 9 with thecopyboard shown in the horizontal position in dotted lines;

FIG. 11 is a rear detailed view of the developer apparat-us;

FIG. 12 is a left side detailed view of the developer apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the developer apparatus taken along lines1313 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a detailed view of the developer drive sys tem and controlplate with portions broken away to show internal structure;

FIG. 15 is a left side view of the developer drive mechanism withportions broken away to show intern-a1 structure;

FIG. 16 is a right side view of the developer apparatus and controlpanel in a plate receiving position;

FIG. 17 is a right side view of the control panel with the elementsthereof shown in their proper orientation when the developer apparatusis in the first cascade position;

FIG. 18 is a left side view of the control panel with the elementsthereof shown in their proper position when the developer apparatus isin to the first cascade position;

FIG. 19 is a left side view of the control panel and a portion of thedeveloper apparatus and locking mechanism with the elements of thecontrol panel shown in their position when the developer apparatus is ina plate receiving position;

FIGS. 20-25 are detailed views of the xerographic plate stops used inthe plate transport system shown in their various operating positions;

FIG. 26 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuitry usedin the xerographic camera shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3 there is shown a superstructure or mainframe 10, a moveable frame portion 12, and external cover panels, whichenclose the entire machine. The moveable frame 12 is supported on bothsides on rollers 14 which ride in tracks 16 on longitudinal framemembers 18 constituting part of the main frame 10. The moveable frame 12supports a copyboard assembly generally designated 20 for supporting anoriginal document that is to be reproduced. The moveable frame 12 ispositionable along the tracks 16 so that the position of a document onthe copyboard relative to the other internal members of the apparatusmay be varied for image enlargement or reduction purposes. The moveableframe 12 is connected to the stationary frame 10 by a light tightflexible bellows 22 so that the entire assembly is light tightthroughout the entire length of travel of the moveable frame 12.

The stationary frame 10 encloses a xerographic plate transport system24; a plate developing system 30; and a moveable lens system 32; and thetransport system contains a plate charging station 26 and a plateexposure station 28. The transport system, the developing system, andthe lens system are described in detail below.

Plate transport system A pair of transport frame members 34 and 35 aresupported from the stationary frame by mounting members 36 in any mannersuit-able to permit relative adjustments of the transport frame to thestationary frame. The frame members 34 and 35 are held in relativealignment by a pair of spacer rods 37 and a channel member 38. A pair ofplate guides or tracks 40 are secured to the inside surface of the framemembers 34 and 35. The plate guides 40 are shown herein aschannel-shaped members, secured to the transport frames by screws 42,containing cut out portions to accommodate the apparatus of thetransport system.

A xerographic plate 44 may be inserted between the transport frames 34and 35 in the plate guides 40 as shown in FIG. 2. The plate will movefreely downward in the guides 40 until it comes to rest upon a pair ofstops 46 secured on a stop shaft 48 journaled in the frame members 34and 35. The stop shaft 48 may be rotated to remove the stops 46 from thepath of movement of the plate 44 by means of the operation of solenoidsol-1.

When the stops 46 are removed from the path of the movement of the plate44 the plate is carried downward by gravity and is engaged by a firstset of drive rollers 70 and pinch rollers 72. The plate is then drivendownward past charging station 26 by the drive rollers 70 into contactwith a second set of guide rollers 74 and the pinch rollers 76. Thedrive rollers 70 and 74 are mounted on drive shafts 78, journaled inside frames 34 and 35. The drive rollers are mounted on each end of thedrive shafts on the inside of the side frames so that the rollerscontact the outer edge of the xerographic plate surface. The shafts 78extend through the side frame 34 and contain sprockets 80 securedthereon by pins 8 2. A motor MOT-1, mounted on a bracket 84 which inturn is secured to the spacer channel 38 drives the sprockets 80 throughgear box 86, main drive sprocket 88, and main drive chain 90 to producethe driving force of drive rollers 70 and 74.

The pinch rollers 72 and 76 are rotatably journaled in a pair of pivotarms 92. The pivot arms 92 are moveable about a shaft 94 which extendsbetween the side frames 34 and 35. A tension spring 96 is secured toeach set of pivot arms 92 at the opposite end of the pivot arm from thepinch rollers 72 and 76. The tension spring 96 causes the pivot arms 92to pivot about shaft 94 and force the pinch rollers 72 and 76 toward thedrive rollers 70 and 74 respectively. A xerographic plate between thedrive rollers and pinch rollers is forced against the drive roller bythe pinch roller so that movement is imparted from the drive roller tothe xerographic plate.

A two wire charging corotron 98 is secured to the motor mount bracket 84by corotron mounting brackets 102 between the drive rollers 70 and 74.The corotron consists of a shield member 104 and a pair of chargingwires 106. Electrical power is supplied to the charging wires throughelectrical connection 108' from a suitable source of power.

The xerographic plate is moved by the drive roller at a uniform speedpast the corotron 98 at charging station 26 and a uniform electrostaticcharge is placed on the plate surface by the corona discharge of wires106.

After the plate 44 passes the charging station 26 it is continuouslymoved downward by the drive rollers 74 into the exposure station 28. Theplate comes to rest in the exposure station on a pair of mechanicalstops 110. The plate is positioned laterally in the exposure station bya leaf spring 111 mounted inside one of the guides 40 so that the plateis forced against the opposite guide 40. With the plate resting on stops110 and abutting one of the guides 40 the surface of the platecontaining the electrostatic charge is in position to be exposed to alight image of the document being reproduced, as best 112 which isjournaled in the side frames 34 and 35. After exposure the stop shaft112 is rotated by solenoid sol-2 to remove the stops from the path ofthe xerographic plate. Removal of the stops 110 from the flow path ofthe plate 44 permits the plate to drop down into driving contact with athird pair of drive rolls 114 and pinch rolls 116 from which it isdriven downward through a fourth set of drive rolls 118 and pinch rolls120. The drive rolls 114 are mounted on a drive roll shaft 122 journaledin the side frames 34 and 35 and contains a sprocket 124 secured to oneend thereof in drive engagement with the main drive chain 90. The fourthset of drive rolls 118 are mounted adjacent to the side frames 34 and 35on a pair of stub shafts 126. The stub shafts 126 are secured andjournaled in the side frames 34 and 35. The stub shaft 126 which isjournaled in the side frame 34 contains a sprocket 128 which is inengagement with the main drive chain 90. The stub shaft 126 which isjournaled in the side frame 35 contains a sprocket 130 which engages asecondary drive chain 132. Mounted on the opposite end of the drive rollshaft 122 from the drive sprocket 124 is a second sprocket 134 whichalso engages the secondary drive chain 132. Power is transmitted fromthe motor MOT-1 through the main drive chain 90 to the third set ofdrive rolls 114 by means of sprocket 124 and shaft 122. Power is alsotransmitted from the motor MOT-1 through the chain 90 to one of thefourth set of drive rolls 118 by means of sprocket 128 and one of thestub shafts 126. Power is supplied to the other drive roll 118 fromdrive chain 90 through sprocket 124 to shaft 122 to sprocket 134 andsecondary drive chain 132. The secondary drive chain 132 drives thesprocket 126 on the other stub shaft 126 and drives the drive roll 118.The pinch rolls 116 and 120 are rotatably mounted on pairs of pivot arms136 in the same manner as are the pinch rolls 72 and 76. The pivot ar-ms136 are pivotally mounted on pivot shaft 138 and are urged towardsthedrive rolls by means of tensioning springs 140 connecting the ends ofthe pivot arms opposite from the pinch rollers. When the plate 44 isbetween the drive rollers and the pinch rollers the pinch rollers forcethe plate 44 against the drive roller to be driven thereby.

Lens system and copyboard In order to produce enlargements or reductionin the size of the copy produced from an original document, the lenssystem and the copyboard are both moveable relative to position of thexerographic plate in the exposure station. As seen in FIG. 3 a lensassembly 202 containing a lens support frame 204, a lens retaining ring206 and a shutter assembly 208 is slideably mounted on a support plate210. The support plate 210 has a pair of parallel guide rails 212extending in line between points intermediate the exposure station andthe copyboard. A pair of runners 214 extend along the bottom of thesupport plate 210 in mating relationship with the guide rails 212. Thesupport frame 204 can be moved on the rails 212 to various pointsintermediate the exposure station and the copyboard. The lens retainingring 206 is supported in an opening in the support frame 204 andcontains a focusing lens to focus an image from the copyboard onto axerographic plate at the exposure station. The shutter assembly 208 ismounted on the opposite side of the support frame in line with the lensto control the time that the xerographic plate is exposed to the lightimage.

An enclosed light shield 216 is suspended from the frame 10 and extendsbetween the exposure station and the lens assembly. The light shieldprevents extraneous light from reaching the surface of the xerographicplate. To further prevent light from reaching the xerographic plate aflexible bellows 218 is secured at one end to the light shield 216 andat the other end to the lens support frame 204. Movement of the lensassembly 202 and the support frame 204 is taken up by expansion orcontraction of the bellows 218.

A control knob 220 mounted on the front of the ma.-

1. A XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING MULTIPLE XEROGRAPHIC PLATESINCLUDING: A PLATE TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR ASYNCHRONOUSLY MOVINGXEROGRAPHIC PLATES THROUGH A SERIES OF PROCESSING STATIONS, THE PLATETRANSPORT SYSTEM COMPRISING: (A) A SERIES OF DRIVE ROLLERS AND PINCHROLLERS TO DRIVE THE XEROGRAPHIC PLATES BETWEEN THE PROCESS STATIONS,(B) GUIDE ROLLERS TO PROPERLY ALIGN THE PLATES, (C) A MOTOR TO DRIVE THEDRIVE ROLLERS, AND (D) STOPPING MEANS TO REGULATE THE MOVEMENT OF THEXEROGRAPHIC PLATES THROUGH THE PROCESS STATIONS, A CORONA GENERATINGDEVICE POSITIONED ADJACENT TO THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM TO PLACE A UNIFORMCHARGE ON A XEROGRAPHIC PLATE AS IT MOVES IN THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM, ASERIES OF PROCESSING STAIONS INCLUDING: A PLATE LOADING STATION ADAPTEDTO RECEIVE A XEROGRAPHIC PLATE IN A POSITION TO BE CARRIED BY THETRANSPORT SYSTEM, AND LOCATED IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF THE CORONA DISCHARGEDEVICE, AN EXPOSURE STATION WHEREIN A XEROGRAPHIC PLATE IS EXPOSED TO ALIGHT IMAGE TO FORM A LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE ON SAID PLATESCOMPRISING: (A) A COPY BOARD, MOVABLY MOUNTED ON A FRAME, UPON WHICH ISMOUNTED AN IMAGE TO BE REPRODUCED, (B) A LENS SYSTEM, HELD IN A SUPPORTFRAME THAT IS MOVABLE TO POINTS INTERMEDIATE A XEROGRAPHIC PLATE IN THETRANSPORT SYSTEM AND THE COPY BOARD, WHEREBY THE LENS CAN BE ADJUSTED TOFOCUS THE IMAGE FROM THE COPYBOARD ONTO THE XEROGRAPHIC PLATE, (C) ASHUTTER ASSEMBLY POSITIONED TO CONTROL THE PASSAGE OF LIGHT FROM THEIMAGE TO THE XEROGRAPHIC PLATE, (D) A LAMP SYSTEM TO PROVIDE A LIGHTSOURCE CAPABLE OF REFLECTING THE IMAGE ON THE COPY BOARD TO THEXEROGRAPHIC PLATE, (E) A LIGHT SHIELD POSITIONED TO PREVENT EXTRANEOUSLIGHT FROM REACHING THE SURFACE OF THE XEROGRAPHIC PLATE, AND (F) ATIMING DEVICE TO ACTUATE THE SHUTTER AND LIGHT SYSTEM FOR APREDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME, A DEVELOPING STATION TO DEVELOP A LATENTIMAGE UPON AN ELECTROSTATICALLY CHARGED AND EXPOSED XEROGRAPHIC PLATECOMPRISING: (A) A HOUSING CAPABLE OF HOLDING A QUANTITY OF DEVELOPINGMATERIAL AND HAVING AN OPENING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A XEROGRAPHIC PLATE,(B) A MEANS TO CLAMP THE XEROGRAPHIC PLATE IN THE HOUSING OPENING, (C) APAIR OF PIVOT ARMS HOLDING THE HOUSING AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED SO THAT THEHOUSING MAY BE ROTATED THROUGH A SERIES OF POSITIONS WHEREBY DEVELOPERIN THE HOUSING IS CASCADED OVER A PLATE IN THE HOUSING OPENING, (D)MEANS TO PROGRAM AND CONTROL A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF MOVEMENTS OF THEHOUSING THROUGH THE SERIES OF POSITIONS, AND (E) MEANS TO EFFECT REMOVALOF THE XEROGRAPHIC PLATE FROM THE DEVELOPER HOUSING UPON TERMINATION OFTHE PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF MOVEMENTS, AND A CONTROL MEANS TO REGULATETHE ASYNCHRONOUS MOVEMENT OF PLATES BETWEEN PROCESSING STATIONS SO THATPLATES ARE ADVANCED TO SUCCESSIVE STATIONS ONLY UPON REMOVAL OF PLATESFROM EACH STATION, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING ASYNCHRONOUS SO THAT MORETHAN ONE PROCESS CAN BE CARRIED ON AT ONE TIME, AND INCLUDING MEANS TORETAIN A PLATE IN THE EXPOSURE STATION FOR MORE THAN ONE EXPOSURE.